Solveig Font

Solveig struggled to carve out a career as a curator in Cuba, as she was unable to establish legitimacy in her field. The Cuban government did not officially recognize the role of curator in state-led cultural institutions. Though opting to work independently, Solveig sacrificed a stable and adequate salary, social security, and retirement prospects. “This lack of recognition for independent voices creates a silencing effect and poses substantial challenges for those seeking to contribute autonomously to the cultural landscape,” she explained.

Born out of the need to create an alternative cultural space free from government censorship, Solveig and the artist Julio Llopiz-Casal formed the Avecez Art Space in 2014. Avecez Art Space lived on the walls of Solveig’s home and served as a bastion of artistic freedom for the community, raising awareness against the restrictive measures of the government, such as Decree 349.

Solveig joined the 27N movement, joining independent artists, writers, and thinkers who advocated for the respect of artistic freedom and human rights. In 2021, she too took part in the July 11 protests. The subsequent repression she faced eventually led Solveig into exile in Spain.

Starting over in a new country has been challenging. Solveig misses her son fiercely: “He is my inspiration,” she told ARC. Still, she has had great moments of joy, including being awarded ARC and PEN International’s Cuban Migrant Artists Resilience Fellowship and co-founding the creative collective Forma Foco. The collective focuses on the Cuban diaspora working to, “Keep everything that happens in Cuba visible, preventing the Cuban state from maintaining control over the narrative, and advocating for the inclusion of minority voices.” 

During Solveig’s fellowship she worked on “Actualmente no está disponible en su país o región,” an exhibition presenting items brought by those who migrated from Cuba. The project examined the symbolism ascribed to the objects deemed valuable to immigrate with the owner. Solveig invited people to select an item that was taken from its “natural” place to its owner’s new residence. The exercise sought to provoke new reflections by reliving one’s personal history. Above all else, Solveig intended for the exhibition and exercise to serve as an act of inner healing, as each selected item had a deep personal meaning for the individual behind it.